On Vasoconstriction and Foliage
by Argallel
Summary: Now he was going to have to deal with this personally. "Fargo's in the infirmary." The floor seemed to waver slightly as he stood up. One foot, and then the next. Keep it steady, Nathan. You can do this. "He was attacked by the vines and is now unconscious."


**Anyone ever noticed Stark never shows any sort of weakness? In 'Phoenix Rising' he has a moment before he explodes in flames that's a little mushy, but it's not even that good. I've also noticed there aren't many fanfictions around where Stark is sick or hurt.**

 **So here's a little diddy for you all that hopefully makes you feel bad for Stark.**

 **Like always, I don't own a stitch of what I'm writing about.**

Stark winced and massaged his temples again. The lights were too bright and every ding of the computer signalling yet another dull email arriving caused his head to pound further. He needed a nap. Or Tylenol. Morphine would do just nicely.

"Which genius of yours made freaky strangling vines grow throughout the town?"

And then there was that.

He looked up at the man standing in his office doorway with distaste. Great. Just what he needed right now. "Carter, how nice to see you," he said dryly.

"Vince just had to wrestle Zane out of a choke hold." Carter stepped up to Sark's desk, obviously quite upset. "He's in the infirmary right now, and Allison said he could have died!"

"I'm well aware of the consequences of strangulation, Carter." His headache had increased tenfold since the sheriff had barged in. "I'll have Fargo pull a list of all the projects that could be related to this… thing."

"'Thing'?" Carter stepped back from the desk and eyed Stark suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

Now he was feeling nauseous, too. Great. "I'm fine."

Suddenly, his phone began to blare, and Stark winced. Why had he changed his ringtone to be so loud and intrusive? He put on his hard face and answered it. "Stark… Allison, I… I'll be right there."

Carter was still suspicious, but he seemed to drop it at the phone call. "What?"

Now he was going to have to deal with this personally. "Fargo's in the infirmary." The floor seemed to waver slightly as he stood up. One foot, and then the next. Keep it steady, Nathan. You can do this. "He was attacked by the vines and is now unconscious."

Stark zoned out as they strode to the infirmary, intent on keeping himself upright and steady.

"Nathan, good, you're here."

The lights were too bright.

"Nathan?" Hand on his arm.

Concentrate. "Carter tells me there are strangling vines growing throughout the Eureka," he managed to force out. He tried to look normal.

Allison eyed Nathan carefully, her hand still resting on his upper arm. "Are you alright?" she asked as her hand flipped up to feel his forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever." She frowned as she gave him a once over.

"I'm fine." He shrugged her off. "What do we know about these vines?"

His stomach flipped as another spike of pain shot through his skull. Don't be sick, don't be sick. Just breathe and get through these next few minutes, and then you can go back to your office. You'll be fine once you're in your office. It'll be dark, quiet, and-

"Nathan?"

He turned quickly to face Allison.

Bad move.

Lunging towards the nearest garbage can, Stark dropped to his knees as what little food he had left in his stomach burnt its way out his esophagus. Black spots danced on the edges of his vison, and his knuckled were white from gripping the receptacle so fiercely.

After a few minutes, Stark was aware of Allison's hand on his back. "Migraine?" she asked quietly.

He just made a small noise in agreement.

"Carter, help me get him onto a bed." Someone grabbed onto his other arm. "Can someone please dim the lights?"

Stark kept his eyes closed as he let Allison and Carter help him over to a bed. This was a bad one. Even putting his head onto the pillow made him feel like he might be sick again. "Thank you," he whispered, the sour taste of acid still lingering in his mouth.

"I'll be right back with some medication, alright?" Pause, then, quieter, "Carter, go ask Larry to help you. Tell him Doctor Stark sent you, and if he questions it, get him to call me."

How he wished he'd stayed home today! Minutes after getting up he'd had an aura, blobs of colour obstructing his vision, but today was an important day. He couldn't miss today. And now he was paying for it.

"Nathan?"

He cracked one eye open, just enough to see Allison standing over him with a needle. "Sumatriptan, naproxen, and chlorpromazine." There was a sharp sting in his upper arm as he closed his eyes again. "Take a nap. I'll help Carter take care of the vines."

She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

And as he drifted off to sleep, he realised that maybe it was okay to not be fine sometimes.

 **A/N: Naproxen is a NSAID (aka a painkiller), sumatriptan is a triptan used to treat migraine attacks as they are happening, and chlorpromazine is an anti-nausea medication.**


End file.
